


Stella

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-17 13:26:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18966151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: While Astor looks after an orphaned foal, Lisa learns that there's something she can do for the orphaned foal's equally-orphaned rider. Inspired by the Texas Bluebells audio story.





	Stella

Morning at Jorvik Stables hadn’t changed through the years, even with everything that had happened. And Lisa was glad for that. The air still held a touch of chill, their breath still misted in the air, and the air itself was filled with the scents of horses and the sounds of any stable at morning. It always brought a smile to her lips, had ever since she’d been a teenager just coming here for the first time. Even if it had been tinged with sadness at first as the sights and sounds and smells had evoked memories of her mother, when they’d come to a different stable hundreds of miles away across an ocean to collect the horses for a ride together, just mother and daughter.

Recently, though, there had been a new addition to the stable, and not just in the form of the little Starbreed foal Texas who Lisa had found and brought back here with the help of Astor. The little guy was currently spending some time in the smaller paddock inside the stableyard, nudging at the teats of one of the mares who still had milk to give. He’d really perked up ever since he’d first come here, which was good to see.

No, the new addition that caught Lisa’s eye and heart was not so much the foal as it was the foal’s eventual rider, once they were both old enough. Stella, the little girl who’d come in and indirectly caused Lisa to find Texas by needing to get away for a little while, stood at the fence, her deep blue eyes huge as she stared at the little foal who would someday be hers.

“He’s a pretty little guy, isn’t he?” Lisa asked, walking up to stand beside Stella. The little girl turned to her, startling somewhat at how close Lisa was, and nodded. She didn’t talk much, Herman had said that she was still in shock after what had happened. Lisa hadn’t had the heart to ask. She knew the look well enough to know that she’d only learn that the girl had lost her entire family in some horrible accident.

“Once he’s had a feed, you can probably go and play with him,” said Johanna. Herman was currently away again, busy with CHILL, no doubt, but he’d filled Johanna and Stein in on the details as he often did. They knew enough to know that Stella would be Texas’ eventual rider, they didn’t need to know that she was his Soul Rider and he her Starbreed. Not a full Soul Rider, though, just a member of the Sun Circle.

“Hear that?” Lisa asked, grinning as she bent down a little beside Stella. “You get to have foal cuddles!” Stella’s grin was so wide that Lisa half-expected it to split her face in half.

And, once Texas had had his feed, he turned to face Stella and gave an excited whinny before scampering over to her on too-long legs that made Lisa laugh even as Stella gave a tiny giggle of her own, holding her hands out before she scrambled over the fence and ran to greet Texas. The little foal stopped in front of her, droplets of milk still glistening on the tiny whiskers about his muzzle.

“Pity Starshine and I never had the chance to have that,” Lisa mused aloud.

“Hope that you never have to,” said Anne, standing a little further down the fence from Lisa. Immediately, she winced. “I’m sorry, I know there are bigger problems here but-“

“It’s okay,” said Lisa, looking at her. “Really. You’re allowed to be annoyed and upset.”

“I feel like I’m supposed to be grateful,” said Anne. “And I am grateful that I get to have my horse back, but I never got the chance to grieve the old Concorde.”

“I can’t imagine what that must feel like,” said Lisa, her eyes misting over.

“You don’t want to,” said Anne, shaking her head. Then, seeing the way Lisa was watching Stella with that soft look on her face, a smile curled her lips. “Although… I’m surprised you didn’t adopt Texas.”

“Astor needs him more,” said Lisa.

“That still leaves Stella, though. The poor thing,” said Anne. Lisa froze, her fingers curled around the fence.

“What?” Lisa asked, looking carefully at her friend.

“Stella’s an orphan too,” said Anne. 

“Yeah, I thought so,” said Lisa, her voice husky. “I wish there was more I could do to help her. Texas is one thing, but…”

“I’m surprised your wife hasn’t suggested it to you yet,” said Anne with a gentle smirk.

“Huh?” Lisa asked, looking at her friend now.

“Orphans are generally adopted,” said Anne. “There’s something you can do. I’m sure Louisa would be more than okay with it, she already mothers her friends.”

“Oh,” said Lisa, her eyes wide. “Are you sure?”

“Look, I know it’s not really my place to say, but you’re looking at her the way a mother looks at her child,” said Anne. “At least take her to meet Louisa. At the very least, there’s plenty of horses there for her to play with. I’m sure she’ll love it.”

“Okay,” said Lisa, nodding. “I guess I’ll go talk to the orphanage, see if it’s okay and if she’s allergic to anything.”

“And maybe call ahead to let your wife know to expect company,” said Anne.

“Nah, I wanna surprise her,” said Lisa, grinning. Anne sighed, shaking her head. Maybe she should tell Lisa where Stella was really from… but she liked surprises. Let her be surprised.

Louisa wasn’t expecting her wife home this early. Normally, when Lisa went out to Jorvik Stables to help out Herman and spend time with her friends, she spent all day out there. But no, that was definitely the sound of Starshine’s hoofsteps in the front yard. Confused and only slightly concerned, Louisa left the washing up to soak for a bit and walked through the house to see why Lisa was home so early, wiping her hands on a tea towel.

She almost dropped the tea towel when she saw the little girl behind Lisa with her arms wrapped tightly around her wife’s middle.

“We’re here now,” Lisa said to the little girl. “You can let go.” But the girl shook her head, holding tighter to Lisa. “Right. Hey, uh, Louisa, mind helping this little one down?”

“Did you bring me a child like a stray cat with her babies?” Louisa asked, tossing the tea towel back in the direction of the kitchen (it landed on the table, mercifully) and stepping outside.

“No,” said Lisa. “Okay, maybe. This is Stella, she’s Texas’ rider.”

“Oh,” said Louisa as she reached up. “Hey, Stella, wanna get down? There’s cookies inside, and cats, or I could take you to see all my horses.” Stella’s eyes lit up at the last word, and she held her hands out for Louisa to help her down. The little arms that she wrapped around Louisa’s neck were so scrawny, she barely weighed a thing.

“She loves the horses at Jorvik Stables,” said Lisa. “Mostly Texas, of course.”

“I don’t blame her,” said Louisa. “Too bad we can’t have Texas here, but I’m sure she’ll love the horses here anyway. As long as Trouble behaves himself.”

“That’ll be the day,” said Lisa with a roll of her eyes. “We can talk while she’s getting to know all of your horses. Or the ones that are currently here, anyway.”

“Talk about what?” Louisa asked. But Lisa only grinned and steered Stella in the direction of the stables.

“Pony!” Stella cried, the first word she’d ever spoken in Lisa’s earshot. Her little face lit up at the sights, sounds, and smells of so many horses. But unlike some other children Louisa had seen, she didn’t immediately bolt for the nearest horse and start tugging on their tail. Instead, she stood smartly in front of each stall door, reaching her little hand out for each horse to lean down and sniff. Stella giggled with glee when Trouble licked her palm and snorted at the lack of sugar.

“Huh, the people at the orphanage said she only ever said that, but I’ve never heard her say anything before,” said Lisa.

“Orphanage?” Louisa echoed, her eyes huge as she looked from Lisa to Stella. “This poor little thing’s an orphan? No wonder she looks so scared.” Back home, Louisa had been the one to bring home every lost and injured creature she found, no matter how bizarre. Here, she mostly did that with horses and cats.

“Yeah, I don’t know what happened in her past, but it must’ve been something pretty bad,” said Lisa. “She looks like I did after… you know.” Louisa wrapped her arm around her wife, pulling her into her side.

“Can we adopt her?” Louisa asked, her heart aching as she watched Stella make her way down the row of horses, this time with sugar cubes held in her little palm.

“I was just going to ask you that,” said Lisa, laughing. “That’s why I brought her over here, to see how you liked her and if she liked it here.”

“Having children is generally the next step after getting married,” said Louisa, linking her hand with Lisa’s. “It’s almost like Stella came along at just the right time.”

“I know, right?” said Lisa. “Even her name is fitting.”

“It was meant to be,” said Louisa, remembering how her aunt often talked about fate. “So, how does adoption work? We have to fill out some papers, right?”

“Yep,” said Lisa, nodding. “We can do that after we spend a bit of time with her. She seems to be liking it so far, though.”

“Can you blame her?” said Louisa. “Ponies are a surefire way to any girl’s heart. I believe you taught me that.” Lisa grinned at her, leaning in to kiss her wife.

When they parted for air, though, Louisa noticed a pony trotting along behind Stella.

“Oh no,” said Louisa. “I hope Minitrouble doesn’t scare her.” Every time Stella stopped walking, Minitrouble stopped walking, freezing in an almost comical way. Louisa couldn’t help but laugh at it. Especially when Stella’s tiny face scrunched with determination and she jumped around to point at Minitrouble and declare “Pony!”

Minitrouble folded his ears back and gave a whinny before he spun around and galloped through the stable, Stella hot on his heels, giggling the whole time.

Quickly, Louisa opened the door that led to the paddock so that Minitrouble and Stella could run around without potentially falling on the cement floor of the stable and getting hurt. Stella shrieked with delight as she tried to grab at Minitrouble’s tail, which always flicked out of the way just in the nick of time. Trouble leaned his head over his stall door and gave a worried nicker, watching the child chase around his child.

For a few minutes, it all looked normal. And then Stella giggled and said something in a language that was almost familiar as her form rippled and changed.

“Oh,” said Lisa as she watched the girl, who now looked like a dragon child, fly after the pony who was now squealing. “She wasn’t just quiet because of the shock and grief, she probably can’t speak a word of English. Or Jorvegian.”

“The orphanage never mentioned that she’s Pandorian?” Louisa asked, trying not to worry too much. It was okay, she had Pandorian friends, it was going to be fine.

“Maybe she’s comfortable enough to show her true form to us?” Lisa asked. “Because I’m pretty sure they would’ve mentioned something like this.”

In an instant, Stella had launched herself onto Minitrouble’s back, her tiny clawed fingers clutching at his mane. Minitrouble snorted, eyes rolling as he whinnied in concern, but somehow, he knew not to buck. Instead, he stayed perfectly still, though his blue eyes looked as sad and pleading as a puppy’s eyes.

“You got him,” said Louisa, beaming as she made her way over to Stella. Stella was still grinning, but, when she looked at her green-scaled arm, she froze and immediately took her human form once more, antler-like horns covered with pink buds disappearing along with the green dragon wings and green-scaled tail. Her eyes, too, appeared normal once more as Stella shrank down, probably expecting to be chastised.

But Louisa only rested a gentle hand on Stella’s arm, giving her a soft smile.

“Hey, it’s okay,” said Louisa. “Just wait until you meet my friend Daine.” She grinned, a motion that Stella mimicked.

“It’s still okay to adopt her even though she’s Pandorian?” Lisa asked.

“That only makes me want to adopt her more,” said Louisa, gently pulling Stella off Minitrouble’s back so that he’d stop panicking. She held the girl on her hip, the motion already feeling right. Stella looked to be no older than Freja Sunfield, maybe ten years old. And she’d already lost everything. Louisa brushed a lock of Stella’s black hair behind her ear, resting her head on top of the little girl’s head for a moment.

“What do you say we get some cookies, huh?” Lisa asked, joining her wife. Stella looked at her and nodded, her hands still fisted in Louisa’s shirt (and, accidentally, her hair).

“We really have a kid, now, huh?” Louisa asked once they were back inside watching Stella inhale cookie after cookie.

“I might not be able to bring her mother back but maybe I can be her mother. Or you, you’re probably better at it,” said Lisa, looking at her wife.

“At least we can both teach her Jorvegian and English,” said Louisa.

“And in the meantime, we have two Pandorian-speakers who can translate. Wait, three, I keep forgetting about Ezra,” said Lisa.

“Astor and Evergray know Pandorian too,” said Louisa. “You know, they say it takes a village to raise a child.”

“With the amount of friends we have, it may as well be a village,” said Lisa with a laugh. Louisa grinned at her, excitement and happiness fluttering through her. She’d always wanted to be a mother. And, though this might not be the most traditional method, she wouldn’t change it for anything. Stella definitely wouldn’t want for family or anything, not if Louisa could help it.


End file.
